A Monroe County, Pennsylvania, man is in custody, accused of arson after allegedly setting his townhome on fire. The flames spread, damaging several nearby residences. When asked why he did it, the man said, “he needed to kill the spiders within,” according to local news outlet WGAL. Police eventually caught up with the man in New York.
Pennsylvania police have identified the suspect as Sean McDermott, 36, a resident of Pocono Pines in Monroe County, about 100 miles north of Philadelphia. According to authorities, it happened on Monday evening, February 23, 2026, when police and fire crews responded to the 600 block of Uncus Lane at about 6 p.m. after reports of a structure fire.
